Biography of Alice M. Smith Henderson

Alice M. Smith Henderson is an entrepreneur, public health professional, and former CEO/President of AMS Public Health Consultants NFP in Lansing, Illinois, where she helped community organizations achieve incorporation, secure 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and obtain grant funding to advance their missions. Earlier in her career, she founded My Version by AMS, a greeting card company in Jackson, Mississippi, where she designed, wrote, marketed, and produced personalized cards, poetry, and framed messages.

She earned her academic credentials from Jackson State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration (Magna Cum Laude), a Master of Public Health with distinction, and a Doctor of Public Health. Her leadership and service span numerous academic, civic, and professional roles, including public health policy internship work during the Mississippi legislative session, research involvement with the Jackson Heart Study, alumni and student association leadership, grant-writing studies at Morehouse School of Medicine, and long-standing participation in alumni, homeowners, and community organizations across Mississippi, Illinois, and Georgia.

After 35 years in nursing, Alice retired from clinical service while remaining active in public health, writing, research, inspirational speaking, design, and the creative arts. A published author with a lifelong passion for expression, she often jokes that she was “born with an ink pen in her hand.”

In May 2016, she married Sgt. Maurice L. Henderson, and the couple relocated to Covington, Georgia. Tragically, the following month, he was killed in a motorcycle accident that left her with life-threatening injuries. Through faith and perseverance, she relearned to walk in May 2017, carrying forward a testimony of resilience and purpose.